Indonesian Digital News Archive

One of my all time favorite pairs of shoes are a classic pair of sandals from Keen. I love them because they are comfortable, durable and versatile. I've worn them on light hiking trips, visits to tropical destinations or simply kicking around town. They've always scored big points for being highly packable as well, so they have often ended up being one of the pairs of shoes that I take with me when I travel. So when I was offered the opportunity to test the new Turia sandals, it was with both excitement and trepidation that I accepted. After all, these new shoes had a lot to live up to.

The new Turia has a classic Keen look while still managing a style all of their own. With a breathable synthetic airmesh upper, a soft, molded footpad and a rugged close toe, the shoe manages to provide plenty of protection for the foot while keep them well ventilated as well. The no-slip soles provide great traction, even on slick surfaces, and the quick-lace system is still a convenient way to adjust the fit of the shoes to your liking. In short, the Turia is a nice mix of the classic Keen design with a few subtle improvements.

Primarily built for use in warm environments or around water, the Turia is a fantastic travel shoe. Their compact design make them a perfect choice for throwing in a backpack or luggage, even when room is at a premium and they're equally at home in base camp as they are around a resort pool. There aren't many casual shoes that can go from trail to beach to town with such ease, but the Turia can accomplish that get and more.



I recently took my pair of Turias with me to Jordan where they were put to the test on the streets of Amman, hiking through the ruins of Petra and in the wilds of Wadi Rum. Considering that country is both warm and incredibly dry, I was extremely happy that I brought them, particularly when we hit the blistering desert sands. The fact that these shoes are comfortable to wear, easy to hike in, and allowed sand to pass through without filling them up, made them a great option for that journey, although they performed equally well while visiting both the Red and Dead Seas.

As with most new shoes, I tend to spend some time breaking them in sufficiently before I take them with me to another country. During that process I found the underside of the airmesh upper to be a bit abrasive on the tops of my feet. They didn't actually manage to cause any blisters, but they rubbed them just enough to be uncomfortable at times. Fortunately the more I wore them the less of an issue this became, although I'm not sure if it was because the fabrics smoothed out some with use or if my feet simply became accustomed to wearing the sandals. In the long run this hasn't been an ongoing issue, but the first few times I wore them I was a bit concerned.

Aside from that one issue, the Turia Sandals were quick and easy to break-in (a common trait with Keen shoes I've found) and have been very durable thus far. I've been wearing mine multiple times a week for several months and they still look like they just came out of the box. Considering how much mileage I've put on them already, that bodes well for their long term durability.

Keen's Turia Sandals come with a $100 price tag, which is a good price for a pair of shoes that you can take with you practically everywhere. I think you'll find they make excellent travel shoes but are just as comfortable for when you're at home too.

Standing 8013 meters (26,289 ft) in height, Shisha Pangma is the 14th highest mountain in the world. In 2010, a group of four mountaineers that included Mark Fisher, Andy Tankersley, Todd Passey and Kim Havell traveled to the peak, which is found in Tibet, to not only climb it but make the first ski descent as well. That expedition resulted in the video below, which I came across this morning on the National Geographic Adventure Blog. In a post to that blog, which can be read here, Havell shares some of the details of their adventure, which sounds like it was truly epic in every sense of the word.

Enjoy this amazing short film that is guaranteed to put some adventure into your Thursday afternoon.

As I mentioned in my earlier piece on Everest, now that the spring Himalaya season has wrapped up, its time to turn our attention to Denali, where there have already been a number of successful summits this year. But this story is about an important expedition that is actually scheduled to take place next year. One that has goals that reach far beyond the mountaineering world and could impact a number of young people.

In 2013 the National Outdoors Leadership School (NOLS) is organizing a team to travel to Alaska to attempt to climb the highest peak in North America. Denali (also known as Mt. McKinley) stands 6196 meters (20,327 ft) in height and is a notoriously difficult to climb due to both its technical challenges and famously bad weather. Even at the height of summer, high winds and heavy snows can cause problems on the mountain and it is often used as a tune-up for Everest, even though it is 3000 meters lower in height.

Of course, there are dozens of expeditions that attempt the mountain each year, but what sets this one apart is that NOLS is hoping to create a team consisting of all African American climbers to give it a go. The hope is that through their efforts, these climbers will inspire young people in minority groups, especially African American youth, to get outside and become more active stewards of wilderness environments.

Dubbed Expedition Denali, the project is still in the early stages of planning and the team behind it is still looking for sponsors. Still, it is moving ahead and plans for making the climb in 2013 are well underway. I have little doubt that this will be a highly successful venture for all of those involved. To find out more about the project and how you can take part, check out the expedition's official website here.

The number of young people in the U.S. who are actively taking part in outdoor activities is falling dramatically and that drop off is even more pronounced amongst minorities. I am a big supporter of doing anything we can to get young people outside and inspired to pursue their own adventures – great or small. Projects like this one remind us how important that is and I look forward to following this project in the weeks and months to come.

Another season has come and gone on Everest and of course it is time for reflection and analysis of everything that happened on the mountain this spring. As usual, it was another crazy, busy year for the world's tallest mountain and one that continues to leave people talking even as the climbers themselves head for home.

Yesterday Alan Arnette posted his recap of the season and as you would expect, it is thoughtful, well written and very complete. Alan does an excellent job of encapsulating all of the events that took place on Everest this spring and putting them in perspective for all of us who have never climbed the mountain. The blog entry provides plenty of history, context and analysis and is a great reminder of everything that has happened over the past two months. On an annual basis it is difficult to beat Alan's coverage of Everest and all of that experience and knowledge is much appreciated by those of us who follow the proceedings there very closely.

As with nearly all Everest climbing seasons there were sadly more deaths on the mountain this year. Alan lists ten confirmed deaths on his page, including three Sherpas. The remaining deaths were climbers from various countries on a variety of commercial teams on both sides of the mountain. Surprisingly enough, the number could have easily been one higher, as 69-year old Italian climber Luigi Rampini was stranded above 8300 meters (27,230 ft) for four  nights without oxygen. But he managed to survive and was rescued by some other climbers while he was descending.



Of course, any deaths on Everest prompt the mainstream media to write sensationalist pieces and provide mountaineering coverage when they typically wouldn't. Such is the case with The Guardian in the U.K., which published a pair of stories yesterday about the overcrowding that has become such an issue on the Big Hill in recent years. The first piece, which can be found here, quotes Ralf Dujmovits in his calls for stricter regulations on is allowed to climb the mountain, including a set of guidelines for determining who is physically fit enough to attempt the ascent. Ralf, who is amongst the most experienced climbers in the world, took that now famous photo of the line of climbers waiting to go up to the summit. He believes that the Nepalese government is simply taking who ever applies for the climbing permit with little regard to their health or experience. It is a compelling read with a lot of good insights from a man who knows what he is talking about.

The second Guardian article is an editorial by Jonathan Jones who says that Ralf's image is a mockery of what mountaineering and exploration is all about. He decries the fact that so many people now climb Everest on an annual basis and feels that most do it without any kind of regard to history. The fact that anyone with enough cash can now make an attempt on the mountain is a bit insulting to Jones, who warns that Everest is not a tame place and that overcrowding is likely to lead to disaster in the future.
(Thanks to my friend Colm for sharing both Guardian stories with me!)

One of the big stories from this past season was the decision by Himex to pull out of Base Camp before the summit push began. The team's leader, Russell Brice, felt that the mountain was simply unsafe to climb and he didn't want to put his clients, guides or Sherpas in any kind of unnecessary danger. Now that the season has ended however, and there were no fatalities as a result of the things that concerned him, it'll be interesting to see if there is fallout for the organization. Obviously Brice was doing what he felt was right and it is easy to second guess him now, but as a client who didn't even get the opportunity to climb, you can understand that there would be some disappointment there as well. On the other hand, the Himex squad is traditionally the biggest on the hill, and can you imagine what adding another large batch of climbers would have done to the already crowded conditions?

A few days back I wrote about speed climber Patricio Tisalema who was attempting to set a new record on the North Side of the mountain but was forced to abort that attempt when his support Sherpa took ill.  Patricio, along with his partner Rafael Martinez, had to administer first aid to the Sherpa and help him back down to C3 in order to save his life. They were later joined by Spanish climber Ferran Latorre, who aided in the rescue efforts and helped get the Sherpa back down to ABC.

After descending, Patricio was quoted as saying that it was the "hardest decision of his life" to turn back when he was feeling so strong and the weather was good. That comment has caused a few people in the climbing community to question why exactly it was a hard decision. Shouldn't someone's life always trump going for the summit and shouldn't the decision have been an easy, if disappointing, one? My feeling is that the quote was taken a bit out of context, and perhaps lost a bit in translation. It doesn't seem like there was hesitation on the part of Patricio or Rafael in turning back. They are most likely still feeling the sting of missing out on the summit, which of course hurts, but deep down inside I think they always knew it was the right choice.

One of the residents of Base Camp on the South Side of Everest for the past five weeks has been Grayson Schaffer who has been covering the climbing season for Outside magazine. Grayson is attempting to head home now, but he reports that the seasonal monsoon has moved into the area and heavy rains are causing many flights to be delayed or canceled. As a result, climbers are stranded in Lukla and patiently waiting to catch a lift back to Kathmandu and eventually home. There is nothing worse than having completed an expedition or physically demanding trip and just wanting to head home to your own bed, only to be left stranded somewhere. I feel for those that are stuck in Lukla, although I can think of worse places to be stranded.

Finally, as this season comes to an end at last, I'd just like to say that it was once again a real pleasure for me to not only share the news from the mountain but also interact with so many other people who share that passion and interest. The Internet has made it a simple affair to connect with others from around the globe and Everest is one of those places that seems to draw so many of us together. I appreciate everyone reading my blog and sharing their thoughts and comments. It was another great spring in the Himalaya.

Now on to Denali and the Karakoram!

While we're checking in with some recent adventures today, I thought I'd post an update on Dave Cornthwaite's Expedition 1000 project. When last we heard from Dave, he was riding a crazy contraption known as a Bikecar on his way across the American south with a plan of eventually ending in Miami. The Bikecar is a heavy, unwieldily beast that wasn't easy to pedal, but in the end, Dave was able to complete yet another leg of his journey, arriving at his destination this past weekend.

For those unfamiliar with Expedition 1000, Dave has created a goal for himself in which he'll undertake 25 separate journeys, each 1000 miles (1609km) in length or more, that will be completed using nothing but human power. So far he's done things like skateboard across Australia (Yes, the entire continent!) and rode a stand-up paddleboard the length of the Mississippi River. The Bikecar expedition covered exactly 1000 miles, and reading some of Dave's updates, I'm not sure he wanted to go a single mile further.

Next up, Dave intends to swim 1000 miles down the Missouri River, which he'll start in August. He hopes to complete that journey in 50 days and is inviting others to join him in the water. Watch his website and Facebook page for more information.

At the beginning of May I posted a story about Belgian adventurer Louis-Philippe Loncke setting out on his latest project the Poland Trek expedition. The plan was to start with a climb up Mount Rysy, the tallest peak in the country, and then traverse the Tatras Mountains to the source of the Vistuala River, the longest in Poland. From there, Loncke would paddle the remaining 1200km (745 miles) to the Baltic Sea, taking roughly 4 to 5 weeks to complete the entire journey. Lou-Phi, along with a small support crew, have managed to cover a significant portion of their route, but the most challenging areas may yet lie ahead.

The expedition started with a challenging climb and traverse of the Tatras back on May 7. Loncke and his team found more than two meters (6.5 ft) of snow waiting for them on Moutn Rysy and blizzard conditions surprised them on the trek. That resulted in a much slower ascent than expected, although they did reach the 2499 meter (8198 ft) summit at around 5PM. They continued hiking for another five hours before camping for the night, collapsing with exhaustion inside their tents.

The following day the weather improved, but conditions remained challenging at altitude. Heeding some advice from the local mountain rescue squads, Lou-Phi and his companion, Tomasz Grzywaczewski, took a longer but safer route into the wilderness around the Tatras. A few days later they completed their traverse and parted ways, as Tomasz was suffering serious blistering on his feet. He would have to walk for several more days before he would find the source of the Vistuala, but about nine days into the expedition, Loncke broke out his packraft and started paddling down the waterway.

That was about ten days ago now, and the Belgian explorer has been making good progress ever since. He is enjoying the wild and untamed river immensely, as he encounters wildlife and beautiful scenery at every turn. And when he pulls into one of the small towns along the way, he has been greeted very warmly by the locals.

At this point, Lou-Phi has about 500km (310 miles) to go until he reaches the Baltic, but he those could be the most challenging miles yet. Low water levels are going to require that he portage around some areas and the lack of water could make paddling very challenging elsewhere. You can follow his progress and almost daily updates on the expedition's website PolandTrek.com.

Adventure Journal posted this excellent video earlier today and I thought it was definitely worth sharing here as well. The short film was made by Tyler Stableford and stars climber Steve House, who also narrates. In that narration, the climber talks about his pursuits in the mountains and how they make him feel. What its like to return home following an expedition and what continues to drive him. I think you'll find what he has to say a bit surprising, perhaps even haunting, and after watching the video I couldn't help but wonder how those who have just climbed Everest feel as they head home. Will it be something like this?

Sandwiched neatly between California and Washington, Oregon is a beautifully scenic state filled with spectacular mountains, lush forests and seemingly endless vistas. It is an adventurers playground although it is sometimes forced second fiddle to some of the more well known western states, including it's two high profile neighbors. But a new book not only hopes to encourage visitors to explore Oregon more closely but do so in one of the best ways possible.

Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Oregon was released a few weeks back and is without question the most complete guide to cycling the state. Written by Oregonian Ellee Thalheimer, the book offers eight enticing itineraries that truly have something for every kind of traveler and rider. Whether you prefer a leisurely ride through the state's wine country, a scenic trip up the coast, or a more challenging ride through the mountains, you'll find everything you need to make the trip happen.

The book begins with a few pages for out of state travelers who are visiting for the first time. Those pages offer tips for arriving in Portland, either by plane, train or bus and provide suggestions on where to eat and stay while in town. Some of the cities more popular bike shops are also listed and the author even has suggestions on where to attend a yoga class as well.



With the preliminaries out of the way, it's on to the meat of the book – namely the tours themselves. Thalheimer begins each section dedicated to a tour with a great introduction that lists the basic price range of the trip, where to camp or stay in a lodge, the relative difficulty rating and a lot more. Included maps offer suggested routes and the historical and environmental facts help to set the backdrop for the region you'll be cycling through. The advice even extends to letting you know how good the cell coverage is and where the closest hospitals are located, just in case. In short, it is everything that you could ask for in a guide book and considerably more.

Each of the tours also comes with a day-by-day itinerary as well, listing the best places to stop along the way and providing information about the towns that riders will be staying in too. Daily cue sheets are also included, giving travelers a list of milestones and signposts to keep an eye out for as they make their way along the route. Those cue sheets will prove invaluable to anyone planning on riding any of the itineraries in the book, as they make it extremely difficult to get lost or make a wrong turn. The author has made it so easy in fact, that all you have to do is ride and enjoy the scenery.

Whether you're new to cycle touring or you're an old pro, the book's suggested packing and gear lists, found at the end, will be of interest as well. Thalheimer offers some great suggestions on what to bring with you on a trip of this type, including basic gear for both the bike and rider, as well as equipment for cold weather, camping and more. She even tells you what to stock in your repair (bike) and first aid (rider) kits.

Cycling Sojourner is definitely a must read for anyone planning a cycling trip through Oregon, which is obviously who this book is going to appeal to the most. But there is also quite a bit of good practical advice for cycling in general here as well. If you're planning a long distance bike trip, you can still find some good information to aid you along on your journey as well.

Find out more at CycleTourOregon.com, where you can also order your own copy.

Yesterday I mentioned that there appeared to be just one climber left on Everest and that it was Patricio Tisalema who was attempting to set a new speed record on the North Side of the mountain. At the time of that posting we knew that he was above 8500 meters (27,887 ft) but we were still waiting to hear if he was successful or not. Today we have an update from ExWeb that indicates that Patricio was forced to abort the attempt because his Sherpa ran into trouble.

According to the story, the Ecuadorian climber was feeling very strong and moving fast. In fact, he was moving so well that Patricio estimates that he could have potentially reached the summit in a little more than 18 total hours. But unfortunately soon after he left Camp 3 with his climbing partner and their support Sherpa, the Sherpa passed out and required first aid to be resuscitated. At that point, the decision had to be made whether or not they would continue up or assist the Sherpa back down. They wisely chose to go down.

Patricio called the decision the hardest of his life, but he also knows it was the right one. The climbers are all back in ABC now, and doing well, but according to ExWeb Patricio has taken the decision to turn back very hard. He knows that you only get these kinds of opportunities on rare occasions and that he may have missed out on his chance. It is doubtful that he'll be able to rest up and give it another go, but it is still possible. The weather window is likely to close in the next few days however and when it does, the season will officially be over on Everest.

Once Patricio has had a chance to reflect on the situation he'll know that turning back was without a doubt the best decision. Hopefully he'll get another chance in the future, but for now that is little consolation.

Huck is a beautifully shot short film that captures kayaker Evan Garcia as he drops the 70-foot Outlet Falls, located near Yakima, Washington. It was made by filmmaker/adventurer Andy Maser, who used a RED Scarlet, two Canon 7D's and a GoPro to capture all the action. You can find out more about how the film was shot in this article from Outside Online, but I suggest you watch the video first.

Amazing stuff!

British television personality and adventurer Ben Fogel has announced his plans to swim across the Atlantic Ocean and he intends to do it in record time. Fogel, who has also visited the South Pole and spent a year as a castaway on a Scottish island as part of a reality television show, says that he hopes to make the 3000 mile (4828km) journey in just 100 days.

The epic swim isn't scheduled to begin until next year, and Bogel has only now started to train in open water. But sometime in 2013 he intends to set out from the U.S. and continue swimming until he reaches cornwall in the U.K. In order to cover that distance in his target time, he'll need to average about 30 miles (48km) per day. He estimates he may need to spend as much as 12 hours per day in the water.

To date, only one other person is credited with swimming across the Atlantic. That was Benoit Lecomte who accomplished that feat back in 1998. There are some questions about the legitimacy of Lecomte's claims however as he his efforts were not strictly tracked by GPS. He did finish the swim in 73 days and went 3716 miles (5980km) in the process. He is also planning on swimming across the Pacific as well.

Also ramping up his efforts to swim the Atlantic is Dan Martin, who will attempt it as part of his Global Triathlon. He is expecting his crossing of the ocean to take upwards of six months and he'll be starting in the Hudson River and ending somewhere along the coast of France. He is currently in the States and preparing to begin his massive undertaking, which will also see him cycling and running around the world. Logistics have delayed the start, but he hopes to be underway very shortly.

Sometimes rowing an ocean isn't enough I guess, and you just have to jump in an start swimming. More power to these guys. I can't even imagine the effort required to swim these distances day in and day out.

Thanks To Julian Monroe Fisher for the tips on Ben's swim!

The 2012 Teva Mountain Games are set to get underway this Thursday, May 31 in Vail, Colorado. The annual event plays host to some of the best outdoor/adventure athletes in the world in sports ranging from trail running and mountain biking to kayaking and slacklining.

The full schedule of events can be found online and as usual there is plenty to see and do for both competitors and spectators alike. In addition to each of the athletic events, each day also features live music, parties, demonstrations and seminars. The Adventure Village also returns, giving visitors a chance to climb an outdoor wall, try slacklining for themselves or take part in a number of other activities, while Gear Town will be packed with all kinds of great outdoor equipment to try out and purchase.

Due to the unusually low snowfall this past winter, there is less than normal whitewater in many of the western states his spring. As a result, some of the paddling and rafting events could be moved or canceled.  If you're taking part in any of those events or plan on attending, you'll definitely want to check in with the Teva Mountain Games staff to be sure everything is still operating as expected.

This is always a great event and if you're in the area you'll definitely want to drop by and check it out.

Update: I received word this afternoon that the SUP competitions have been cancelled due to the low water conditions, but that the kayaking and rafting events will take place as planned. Find out more here.

In my earlier post on this past weekend's activities on Everest I mentioned that the season was almost over. There does appear to be at least one climb underway and it is an attempt at the speed record from the North Side of the mountain.

Ecuadorian climber Patricio Tisalema waited until the slopes were clear before making his bid and now, according to ExWeb, he is well into the climb. An updated was posted last evening that said Patricio had reached 8500 meters (27,887 feet) in just 15 hours of climbing, but since that time there has been no update on his progress.

We'll have to wait for updates to see if he actually topped out and made it back to BC in record time, but 15 hours to 8500 meters is a great effort. If everything went as planned, he should be on the descent by now, so hopefully we'll get another update later in the day.

While I was enjoying a long weekend here the States, the 2012 climbing season on Everest wound to a halt. On Saturday the final teams made their last summit bids as the good weather conditions provided them with an ideal window for topping out. While the final push mostly went as expected, there are certainly a few expeditions that are worth nothing.

As expected, the RMI team reached the summit on Saturday led by Dave Hahn and Melissa Arnot. It was a milestone for both of those talented climbers as Dave now has 14 successful Everest climbs under his belt and Melissa has four of her own. The group descended safely to Base Camp on Sunday and are now preparing to trek back down the Khumbu Valley. Congrats to Dave, Melissa and the entire RMI team for a job well done.

Climber Mkie Moniz pulled off a double-summit over the weekend, first topping out on Everest and then Lhotse the next day. After reaching the top of the world's highest peak, he descended to Camp 4, rested for a short time, then skirted over to Lhotse and managed to knock it off in short order as well. Climbing two 8000 meter peaks in a season is always an impressive feat, doing it in less than 24 hours is incredible. Congratulations to Mike on such an impressive display of strength and endurance. Get home safe!



Unfortunately Chad Kellogg was unable to complete his speed attempt on Everest. While he hasn't sent a dispatch yet with details, we do know that he turned back at about 8600 meters. He was hoping to climb without oxygen and set a new speed mark for going from Base Camp to the Summit and back, but apparently ran into some issues along the way. His sponsor, Outdoor Research, sent the following tweet on Saturday: "8600m. Things werent going well. Chad made tough decision to turn back. Is at S Col now. Kudos on great effort & a brave decision." I'm sure we'll hear more once Chad has the chance to collect his thoughts.

Alan Arnette is reporting that the team of female climbers from the Indian Army managed to put several of its members on top as well. The group was climbing without supplemental oxygen, which was a first for the squad. Alan also estimates that there have been roughly 527 summits this year through the May 26th push. That number isn't likely to go up substantially, although there are a few climbers still on Everest.

That said, the season is nearly over and in the books. It has been an interesting one to say the least and I doubt we've heard the last of some of the stories we followed closely this season. By now, Base Camp on both sides of the mountain is nearly deserted and the climbers are starting to make their way back to Kathmandu and eventually home. Lets hope they all make it back safely and enjoy a great meal at the Rum Doodle before their adventure is done.

Our adventure down the Mississippi River continues this week with Episode 7 of the Old Man River Project. This week, the crew takes advantage of higher water and faster currents to make good time, but must constantly deal with the challenges of finding fresh water, which you wouldn't think would be too challenging on a river. But the Mississippi isn't safe to drink from and that becomes an issue for Brett and the team.

The Red Bull Divide and Conquer adventure race is coming to Canada's West Coast in a few weeks and the event promises plenty of action for adventure athletes. The Divide and Conquer features a unique format in which teams of three compete against one another across a wilderness course, but unlike other AR events, this one is run in relay-style with each team member taking a leg.

The race is scheduled to take place on Vancouver's North Shore and will start with a mountain run up Grouse Mountain. Twice! That's nearly 6000 feet (1828 meters) of elevation gain just to get things started.  From there it is on to the mountain bike section, which will be an all-mountain affair that will test a rider's downhill ability as well his or her technical and speed riding. The event will finish up with a paddling leg on the Capilano River that will send kayakers out onto Class IV waters in a deep canyon run.

This looks like it will be amazingly fun and registration is still open. If you'd like to put together a team for the Red Bull Divide and Conquer, you can enter the race here.

This video is a bit on the scary side. It features an 80-year old woman named Lavern who decided she wanted to skydiving to celebrate her milestone birthday. But once she's up in the plane and has to actually jump out the door, she begins to have second thoughts. As she struggles to stay on the plane, her tandem partner manages to get her out the door, but in the process poor Laverne slips out of the harness. The result is one terrifying jump that left me holding my breath. Crazy!

The second weather window on Everest opened as expected today, with winds dropping off dramatically and temperatures remaining relatively warm, even at the summit. As a result, there were all kinds of teams topping out in what sounds like far better conditions than last week.

Some of the teams that we've been following all season long had success once again today. The Adventure Consultants and Peak Freaks both put climbers on the summit and conditions were so good that the AC squad says that some of the their team even descended all the way back down to Camp 2 before resting. The National Geographic/North Face team also summited as a group, despite some reports that they might hold off until today and Kenton Cool was amongst the first to reach the summit, carrying a gold medal from the 1924 Olympic Games with him as he went. Kenton had hoped to conduct an interview from the top, but the laptop he took along with him succumbed to the cold and refused to cooperate. He later conducted another interview at lower altitude. This was his tenth successful summit of Everest.

The season hasn't wrapped just yet however and more teams are looking to head up today. Amongst them will be the RMI squad led by Dave Hahn, who hopes to nab his 14th summit of the mountain and the IMG team as well. Both groups are in Camp 4 and will be heading up shortly. Of course, speed climber Chad Kellogg will make his attempt at the speed record today as well, hopefully going from Base Camp to the summit and back again in under 30 hours. We'll see if he actually makes it.

Most indications are that not only will the weather hold out through the weekend but that there are far fewer people on the mountain for this window. Additionally, the teams seem to have staggered themselves nicely and traffic jams appear to be almost non-existent. As a result, I have yet to hear of a single fatality from this round of climbs and lets hope it stays that way. Obviously we're still waiting for everyone to be accounted for as they may their way back down the mountain, and with more summit push to go, we're not out of the woods just yet. But things are looking good at the moment.

Finally, I'll close this post with yet another excellent video from the Peak Freaks. This one explains why we climb. Simply beautiful.

For my money, the hydration pack is amongst the greatest outdoor innovations of all time. The ability to conveniently and comfortably carry water while we hike, bike, run or do just about anything else can not be overstated. Over the years the options for hydration packs have expanded dramatically and these days its nearly impossible to buy a backpack that isn't at least hydration-ready. But one company that has has stayed razor focused on providing hydration solutions is is Hydrapack, which makes some of the best bottles, reservoirs and of course, packs, in the industry. One of their newest packs is the Jolla, a spacious and versatile bag that is lightweight, comfortable to wear and features plenty of extras that outdoor enthusiasts will most certainly appreciate.

The Jolla is listed as weighing in at 2 pounds, six ounces and having 18 liters (1100 cubic inches) of storage, but thanks to its numerous pockets the pack actually feels much larger – and I mean that in a good way! The pack features a fleece-lined top pocket with a removable tool kit bag, a large main compartment with a velcro sealed internal pocket and additional storage on the exterior. In addition to the dedicated zipped hydration pocket on the back panel, the Jolla also has two water bottle holsters (also with zippers!) and small mesh pockets on the hip belt. With all those options the Jolla makes it easy to keep all of your gear well organized.

Made of soft, but durable, ripstop nylon, the Jolla is comfortable to wear for a variety of activities. I've used it hiking, trail running and mountain biking, and once I adjusted the fit properly, it was surprisingly easy to wear for extended periods of time, even while carrying a full load. I was especially impressed by the well padded back panel and shoulder straps.



Of course, no matter how well designed and comfortable a hydration pack is, if it doesn't work well at it's primary function than it isn't worth owning. Fortunately the Jolla performs exceptionally well in that area as well, thanks in no small part to the included 3-liter reservoir. Hydrapak was generous enough to add one of their excellent Shape-Shift reservoirs to the package and it one of the best bladders I've ever used. Not only does it's wide mouth make it easy to fill but the sliding seal locks the reservoir up nice and tight, preventing the water from leaking all over the pack itself. In fact, it worked so well that through my testing of the bag I never had any issues with leakage at all.

One of the worst things about most water bladders is that they can be nearly impossible to get completely dry or clean. Over time, as you use them, a bit of moisture gets left behind and that moisture can facilitate the grow of bacteria. But the Shape-Shifter is designed to be able to be turned completely inside out, which makes it easy to get all of the water out at the end of the day and a breeze to keep clean as well. The reservoir also happens to be very rugged and durable and the bite valve and water hose are just as high in quality. That means that you won't have to replace the bladder as often as you would on similar packs, which is another plus for the Jolla. That said, the Shape-Shift reservoir is so good that it is definitely worth purchasing on its own. That's why Hydrapak offers it separately for just $32.99.

Both the Jolla and the Shape-Shift bladder are individually great products, but when put together they make an unbeatable combo. If you're in the market for a new pack for your upcoming summer adventures, than look no further than the Hydrapak Jolla. It carries a price tag of $144.99 which is a bargain for a pack that is this comfortable and versatile.  Considering the fact that it also comes with one of the best hydration reservoirs you'll ever find and I think you'll find that Hydrapak has delivered a winner that is worth every penny.

If you're not completely sick of all the Everest news yet, here is one more update for you as the teams move up. As I write this, climbers are on their way to the summit and are reportedly experiencing perfect weather. Updates have indicated that teams are already above the balcony and will soon stand on top of the world. We'll no doubt have a host of updates on their progress tomorrow, but for now there were a couple of stories I wanted to spotlight.

First, it appears that Chad Kellogg is now ready to start his attempt at an Everest speed record. He is currently still in Base Camp, resting and getting ready to go, and in his latest dispatch he shares details of his plan, which includes attempting to go to the summit and back in a single push. He hopes to do this in about 30 hours total, provided everything goes to plan. When he reaches Camp 4, he'll be joined by a Sherpa who will pace him to the top and carry bottled oxygen for him just in case he needs it. This is going to be an epic climb but it looks like things are lining up nicely for Chad now. The weather is reportedly great and the number of climbers going up are far less than last week, which should help alleviate the traffic jams.

On a different note, Jake Norton has called off his ascent of the mountain saying he just doesn't feel like it is safe to go up at the moment. Earlier Jake sent a letter out to his supporters explaining his decision and outlining his goals moving forward. Jake and his team were on the West Ridge, and as we've heard already this spring, that has been a particularly treacherous route due to the lack of snow and ice. When that route became too dangerous, Jake decided to pull the plug and go home, saying that 70 days away is plenty.

You may recall that Jake is climbing as part of his Challenge 21 organization, which seeks to raise awareness of need for clean drinking water around the planet through climbing. The plan is to summit the three highest mountains on each of the seven continents over the next four years. So far, they've already knocked off seven of those, and Everest would have been eight.

Stay tuned for an update tomorrow. We should have word on the progress and success stories from a number of teams. Keep your fingers crossed that everyone gets back down safely.

Over the past few weeks I've shared some stories on my recent visit to Jordan, first writing about the history and culture of the place and then following that up with some destinations for adventure. Today I also wrote a piece for Gadling.com on Petra, Jordan's most well known and iconic landmark. The piece is entitled Petra: Beyond The Treasury, because I found that there was far more to see and do there than I had ever imagined.

The ancient city of Petra was originally founded in the 6th Century BC, when it was founded as part of an effort by a tribe of Bedouins known as the Nabataeans. Over the centuries they built up a trade empire and used the city as their capital. Later it was conquered by the Romans and eventually abandoned altogether. As the centuries passed it was all but forgotten, until it was rediscovered by explorer Johann Ludwig in 1812.

Images of the place have always intrigued travelers, who are fascinated by the stone buildings carved directly into the sandstone walls. The best known of those structures is called the Treasury, although in truth it was actually a tomb. As I point out in my story for Gadling, for many people the Treasury is Petra and what they don't realize is that it stands at the entrance of a massive complex of stone structures that can take several days to explore completely.

When I visited the site back in April I was surprised to find so many other ruins there, including a Roman amphitheater, a temple, and dozens of other structures. There was even one ruin known as the Monastery that was every bit as well preserved and impressive as the Treasury, but it is lesser known in part because it sits atop a high plateau that requires a hike up 900 stairs to reach. A similar site, known as the High Place of Sacrifice, is also worth the climb (in this case a mere 700 steps!) as it provides excellent views of the city.

Before I went I already knew that Petra was a wonder, but until I saw it first hand I didn't realize just how impressive it is. Walking through the place is like walking through history and I feel that it is worth visiting Jordan for Petra alone. Obviously there are many more things to do and see in the country, but Petra is, without a doubt, the one destination you shouldn't miss.

[This post is by Ibrahim Elbouchikhi, Product Manager on the Google Play team. —Dirk Dougherty]



We launched In-app Billing on Google Play a year ago to give developers more ways to sell and engage users over the lifetime of their apps. Since the launch, In-app Billing has been extremely successful in helping developers monetize their apps through try-and-buy, virtual goods, upgrades, and other popular business models. Today, 23 of the 24 top-grossing apps in Google Play use In-app Billing, and the total revenue generated from in-app purchases exceeds revenue from traditional app purchases.



We’re now taking In-app Billing further by adding another important business model — subscriptions. Starting today, developers can use In-app Billing to sell monthly or annual subscriptions from inside of their apps. All subscriptions are auto-renewing, for every app and game and every type of subscription product. Developers just set the price and billing interval and Google Play manages the purchase transactions for them, just as it does for other in-app products and app purchases.



For users, Google Play provides a familiar and convenient purchase experience, highlighting subscription details such as price and billing interval before continuing with purchases. After the transaction, Google Play manages recurring billing and keeps users informed of new charges, sending them an email with each renewal. At any time, users can visit My Apps in the Play Store app to view their subscriptions and cancel any subscription as needed.





While making it easy for developers to offer a great purchasing experience, our subscriptions are also designed for flexibility. Developers can use them to monetize premium dynamic content such as journals and magazines, but they can also use them to sell access to bundled products, game levels, music and video content, value-added services, or any other digital content.



Building on Google Play’s strength as a truly cloud-connected experience, developers can offer users the ability to carry their subscriptions across multiple properties, services, or campaigns. To make this easier, we’re introducing an HTTP-based publisher API through which enterprise-scale backend servers can validate or cancel subscriptions. Using this API, for example, developers can extend access from their Android apps to their web properties, based on subscriptions that are purchased on Google Play.



In the coming days, several developers will be launching apps with Google Play subscriptions and we expect many more to follow. Glu Mobile is launching updated versions of its top Android titles, including Frontline Commando, offering subscriptions through custom VIP currency packages. "We're using Google Play subscriptions to offer consumers a compelling value and a single currency which they can use across Glu’s most popular titles” says Niccolo de Masi, CEO of Glu. “We're excited to bring these capabilities to our Android users and we believe that Google Play subscriptions will fuel further growth in our business."



If you’re a developer, you can get started with subscriptions right away by reading the In-app Billing documentation and downloading the updated sample app. If you are already using in-app billing, you’ll find that adding support for subscriptions is straightforward and involves only minor changes to your code.



You can publish your updated apps and subscription products as soon as you are ready. We’ve already rolled out client support to most Android devices worldwide, so any user with Google Play 3.5 or higher installed can buy subscriptions starting today.



We’re looking forward to seeing how you use subscriptions in your apps!

Join the discussion on

+Android Developers

It's no secret that one of my favorite annual sporting events is the Tour de France. For three weeks each summer it takes center stage in my life and I follow it religiously on a daily basis. In fact, it is one of two events that I dream about covering in person some day, the other being the Iditarod.

If you've also ever dreamed of witnessing Le Tour first hand, then you'll definitely be interested in the contest that is currently being run by Cannondale. The bike company is giving away a week long trip to the Tour de France that will give the winner backstage access to Team Liquigas-Cannondale. They'll get to ride along in the team car, hang out with the riders and generally live the life of one of the team mebers for a week. And if that wasn't enough, they'll also take home a SuperSix EVO bike as well. That's a ride that has been called the "Best Bike in the World."

To enter the contest, simply go to the Cannondale Facebook Page and hit the "Like" button. Then click on the Tour de France icon to access the contest page and fill out the online form. You'll need to be a bit creative in order to win, as some of the questions ask you how you would help motivate the team, who your favorite rider is, and so on. Based on those answers, 25 finalists will be picked and they'll be asked to submit a video entry to help the team get to know them better. From those videos a winner will be selected.

The contest ends on May 31st, one week from today. Good luck!

There isn't a lot of news to report from Everest today as things seem to be proceeding exactly as planned. The teams have all moved up on both sides of the mountain and most are now in place to take advantage of the next weather window. The forecast once again seems to be right on target and the high winds above 8000 meters are starting to die down. As a result, the climbers are either in Camp 3 or 4, conserving their strength and getting ready to go.

One of the first climbers to head up will be Kenton Cool, who has been doing a wonderful job of blogging and sharing videos from his climb all season long. If the Twitter feeds are to be believed, as I write this Kenton is departing Camp 4 for the top. Yesterday he posted a great video of what he will be wearing on this summit push. You can see that video after the jump.

The National Geographic/North Face team was in Camp 3 yesterday and planned to head up to C4 today. They slept in the shadow of the overhanging seracs last night, which seemed to leave them a bit nervous about their position. Still, it seems those ice shelves have held and they are on track to move into position today and go for the summit most likely tomorrow.



Also heading up to Camp 4 today is the RMI squad which includes Dave Hahn who is going for his 14th summit of the mountain. Joining them on the ascent will be the second wave of climbers from the Peak Freaks, IMG, Mountain Trip and Adventure Consultants.

Two teams of female climbers representing the Indian Army are also on the move. Bad weather caused them to delay their first summit bid, but now they are ready to go and are looking forward to the climb. The first group is expected to summit tomorrow morning with a the second team reaching the top on Saturday.

Finally, the mainstream press has picked up on the 2012 Everest season, mainly due to the reports of fatalities. I'm often reluctant post links to their stories, as they are usually sensationalistic and don't always represent the situation all that well. MSNBC has one, that includes video, that discusses the traffic jams that were an issue last weekend (and have been for several years!) and USA Today has a report on the Everest deaths this year as well. While of course this is news, it is a bit troubling at times that the only reports from the mountain that anyone ever hears are bad. Most people don't have a good understanding of what the situation is on Everest, nor do they realize that hundreds of people go to the summit and return safely each and every year.

Early indications are that we can expect roughly 150 climbers on Everest in the next few days, which is about half the number that went up last weekend. Hopefully that means fewer traffic jams and an overall quicker pace. That makes for a much safer climb all around. Good luck to everyone going up. Be safe!

Some good news arrived from Everest yesterday when we received word that 69-year old Italian climber Luigi Rampini was rescued on the North Side of the mountain. As was widely reported earlier in the week, Rampini was climbing on the Montarosa permit and was believed to have perished at Camp 2 when he was unable to descend in bad weather.

According to this story, bad weather prevented Rampini from coming down the mountain on Sunday, but a rescue mission was launched on Tuesday to try to retrieve him. The weather once again hampered those efforts on Tuesday, but yesterday a team of five climbers managed to reach Rampini and administer first aid. The Italian is said to be suffering from mild frostbite on his fingers and nose.

The news of this rescue actually reduces the number of fatalities on Everest this year down to ten. That is still obviously more than we'd ever like to hear, but when you consider the number of people on the mountain, it is a very low percentage. Hopefully the teams headed up in the next few days will all safely get up and down without further adding to the number.

Thanks to Alan Arnette for the update on Luigi.

Last week I posted the video of an interview conducted by EpicTV with Ueli Steck right before he began his ascent of Everest without oxygen. Now, they've done a follow-up interview with the Swiss Machine in which he talks about that experience. As one of the first to summit this year, Ueli went up just as the Sherpa team was fixing the ropes to the top. He shares some of those details and a whole lot more. Very interesting stuff.

While much of the climbing world has been centered around the Himalaya the past few weeks, rock climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell have been making history in Yosemite. Last Friday, May 18th, the two men pulled off an impressive feat of endurance, free climbing Mt. Watkins, El Capitan and Half Dome back-to-back-to-back.

According to this report at Climbing.com the entire project took 21 hours and 15 minutes to complete. The boys started their day at 4:45 PM on May 18, going up Watkins first in just 2 hours, 40 minutes. Once at the top, they hiked for an hour to catch a ride to the foot of El Cap, which they started at 10:45 PM and climbed throughout the night. Going up the classic route Free Rider, took 6 hours, 15 minutes. From there it was on to Half Dome, which they began at 9 AM on the 19th. Scrambling up the Northwest Face required an additional five hours, and they stood on top at about 2 PM.

All three routes were free climbed in their entirety and Caldwell says that he fell two or three times on El Cap, but that Alex didn't fall once throughout the day. He also told Climbing that when they spoke the next day, Honnold indicated that he was ready to climbing once again.

Pretty amazing piece of work out of these two very talented climbers.

The climbers have spent another day jockeying for position on the world's tallest mountain. The teams that missed out on last week's weather window are now getting into place to take advantage of the next one, which forecasts indicate will open tomorrow. As of now, most of them are either in Camp 2 or Camp 3 with an eye on summiting on Friday or Saturday.

Included amongst the commercial teams that are now working their way into position are the IMG and Mountain Trip squads. The IMG climbers report cool temperatures on their hike up the mountain, which comes as quite a relief considering the Western Cwm is well known for becoming quite hot in the afternoon sun. They'll stay in C2 today for a rest day before proceeding up to C3 tomorrow. The Mountain Trip group is already in C3 however and will head up to C4 tomorrow, where some of the team will split off and head towards the summit of Lhotse. They report improving weather conditions and few climbers on the mountain, which means less chance of a traffic jam this time around.

Also in Camp 3 at the moment is Kenton Cool, who is on his way up to the top for the tenth time of his illustrious career. Yesterday Kenton posed a brief video of his view from C3, which judging from the excitement in his voice, never get old. You'll find that video at the end of this post. Judging from his track record, I would be willing to bet that Kenton will be amongst the first to summit once this weather window opens in a couple of days. (Update: I barely had this posted when we received word that Kenton is now in C4. Definitely ready for that dash to the summit!)



Joining Kenton at C3 today is Dave Hahn and the RMI squad. They took a rest day at Camp 2 yesterday, where they ate, hydrated and prepared to move up. Dave is going for his 14th summit of Everest, the most of any non-Sherpa, and he reports that everyone is in good spirits and feeling good heading into the final summit push.

Simone Moro is also on the move, looking to summit Everest without oxygen. No word on whether or not he still intends to make an attempt on Lhotse as well, but my guess is that he'll wait and see what the mountain, and the weather, allow him to do in the next few days.

Ueli Steck hasn't posted a full report on his Everest without oxygen climb from last weekend, but he has shared some great photos. Check out his gallery of shots by clicking here. All of the images are quite striking and I love the one that shows all the oxygen bottles stacked up and ready to be used.

Finally, if you've ever wanted to know what it is like to climb from the North Side then you'll want to read Mark Horrell's first hand account of his recent summit. He shares some scary details of what it is like high on the North Ridge, including a knife edge approach to the summit, with the trail barely the width of a boot. On either side is a 3000 meter (9842 ft) drop that is impossible to ignore under the best of conditions. It is quite a good read.

Tomorrow should give us a good indication of how wide this weather window will be and what conditions will be liking heading into the weekend. It appears that everything is on schedule on both the North and South Sides and that this will indeed be the final summit wave for 2012.

Outside continues its great coverage on the Everest season with a video shot by Grayson Schaffer on Summit Day on the South Side. The video gives you a good idea of what the crowds were like last weekend and why there are now traffic jams on the tallest mountain on the planet.

Explorers Connect is a website designed to create a community for adventurers. It is a social network of sorts that allows like-minded individuals to share ideas, discuss logistics, find teammates, (or jobs!) and  more. Membership is free and comes with a number of benefits, including the ability to stay current on adventure news, network with experts and professionals, and swap stories of your own adventures.

The site was founded by British adventurer Belinda Kirk back in 2009 and has established itself as an active and informative community. Kirk, who is a professional expedition leader and filmmaker herself, recently sat down with our friends over at WideWorld to share some thoughts on EC and the world of adventure as a whole.

In the interview, Belinda talks about how she got her start in the adventure industry, which she is a veteran of at the age of just 35. She also discusses ways to approach getting an expedition funded and her vision for Explorers Connect. She says the site is all about making expeditions and adventure for inclusive and accessible. In 2010 Kirk spent 51 days at sea as part of the first all-female crew to circumnavigate the U.K. in a rowboat. She shares the highs and lows from that expedition as well, including nearly getting run over by a large Russian tanker in the middle of the night.

You can read the full interview by clicking here and if you're interested in joining Explorers Connect, you can find out more about the site here.

Everest climbers are back on the move today, heading up on both sides of the mountain as they ready themselves for the next, and possibly last, weather window of the season. By Thursday of this week the teams will be in place once again, and Friday and Saturday should be busy days on the summit once again.

While we wait for that window to open there is more news from the mountain today, most notably from Alan Arnette who reports that there have been three confirmed deaths on the North Side as well. The full names of the three climbers haven't been released, but Alan says that a Spanish climber by the name of Juan, who was part of the Himalayan Guides team, perished of exhaustion after reaching the summit on the 19th or 20th. A German climber with Montarosa reportedly broke his leg on the Second Step and later died there, while an Italian climber named Luggi, who is also on Montarosa's permit, has now spent four nights at 8300 meters (27,230 ft) without oxygen. He reportedly refused to descend and most likely then became stuck there, and is now presumed to have died.

Alan is quick to point out that in all three of these cases the climbers has very limited support and were climbing without western guides. It appears they had paid to be on permits and were using team logistics, but had little or now Sherpa support as well. By his count, Alan now says that there have been 11 deaths in total on Everest this season.



Once again, my condolences to friends, family and teammates.

Outside magazine's Grayson Schaffer has checked in from Everest's South Side again today with a report on the four deaths on that side of the mountain. He says that this weekend there were about 300 climbers, guides, and Sherpas that went up the mountain, which created traffic jams at various points along the way. (See the picture above!) He shares some details on what happened with Nepali-born Canadian Shriya Shah, who continued to climb up the mountain, along with her team, well after the cut-off time for when most climbers should turn back.

Shah summited around 2:30 PM and was on her way down when she started to run into trouble. Reportedly she was back at the Balcony around 9:30 PM when she ran out oxygen in her last bottle. At that point she had used nine bottles of oxygen and without it she soon started to struggle. By 10 PM she had collapsed, not far from the body of Scott Fischer, and her Sherpa guides, who has been assisting her down with a rope, were unable to revive her.

Schaffer also touches on the other deaths on the South Side as well and says that they have had a definite impact on the mood in Base Camp, which has been understandably gloomy. But other climbers and guides say that these deaths are more a result of bad luck and poor personal decisions rather than the mountain itself being particularly dangerous. Considering the number of people that did successfully summit, versus the number of fatalities, these numbers are actually quite low. Although the growing crowds on Everest aren't helping the situation.

The entire article is a good read, with lots of information straight from Base Camp. I definitely recommend you read it if you have any interest in the happenings on the Big Hill.

Finally, ExWeb has posted a warning for climbers using Summit regulators on Everest or Lhotse in the next few days. Two of the regulators have failed on the mountain before those using them have even set out. As a precautionary measure climbers are urged to test their regulators ahead of time in order ensure they are in working order in the days ahead.

More to come soon!

Expedition kayakers Keirron Tastagh and George Shaw have set out on a 1500-mile (2414km) journey through the Aleutian Islands that will provide plenty of challenges and adventure in the weeks ahead. The duo not only plan on exploring the remote islands, which stretch between Alaska and Russia, but they also hope to collect important data on the what is causing a significant decline in the population of North Sea Otters.

Keirron and George began their journey back on May 10th and have been posting regular updates, along with plenty of photos, to their blog ever since. As you can imagine, the Aleutians aren't the most hospitable of places at the moment, and so far they've been dealing with high winds, cold temperatures and plenty of snow and rain. They report steady headwinds of 20 knots (23 mph/37 km/h) for much of the journey thus far and is isn't unusual for them to wake up to find their tents, boats and other gear buried under a fresh blanket of snow.

Fortunately they have also been encountering sea otters on their voyage as well, which is encouraging for their research although it doesn't explain why the populations are in such sharp decline. Keirron and George say they're determined to conduct as much research as they can and haven't ruled out the possibility of actually paddling across the Bering Sea all the way to the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia if they have to. Their journey is self-supported, so they'll maintain their diet by catching fish as they go, and by resupplying in some of the tiny villages in the Aleutians they can potentially maintain the expedition for weeks or months.

Follow their updates through this epic and wild place by reading their blog here.

Last week I posted a video entitled "People Are Awesome" that showed men and women doing all kind of crazy and cool things, like BASE jumping, rocking climbing, paddling and so much more. Today I have a similar video that continues the theme. Lots of cool stunts mixed in with beautiful scenery and amazing moments from life.

This is a good way to start of the day and it serves as a good reminder that you never know when you'll find your "now or never moment."

Listen up Gear Junkies, as you're definitely going to want to read this article. Outside magazine has posted their selections for the 100 most influential gear items of all time. The list is presented in chronological order, dating back to 860 BC, and not in a countdown style format. This makes for a more evolutionary approach and probably saves on a lot of controversy over what everyone thinks is the most important piece of outdoor gear of all time.

So what was that all important piece of gear that was developed more than 800 years before Christ walked the planet? Believe it or not, it was the personal flotation device (PFD) that was first created to enable Assyrian invaders to cross the Euphrates River. Those PFD's were created out of goat skins, so you know we've come a long way since then and it was hundreds more years before they would become standard equipment on ships traveling at sea.

The gear only expands dramatically from there and Outside has posted it all in a single giant list, or you can review it all by era as well. The 100 items are broken down into three eras, the first of which runs from 860 BC to 1960. Obviously there wasn't a lot of innovation during that rather large time frame. The second era runs from 1961-1980 and includes such breakthroughs as Gatorade, headlamps and the Kodak digital camera. The final era covers 1981 to the present and includes such great additions to our gear closets as the hydration pack, PowerBar and the iPod.

Overall, a fun list to share (and debate!) with friends. Lots of good products on the list and many of which you've probably owned or used yourself.

While we've all been focused on Everest, and rightfully so, a remarkable climb unfolded on Nuptse last week as well. That's where Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, along with climbing partner David Gottler, have been turning in one of the purest climbs of the season, as they went up the mountain in alpine style, with no Sherpa support, no fixed ropes and no oxygen, successfully topping out last Thursday.

The 7861 meter (25,791 ft) Nuptse is located just to the southwest of Everest and climbers on the peak actually use part of the same route when going to the top. Gerlinde and David began their climb by first going up the South Col route to Camp 2, before they traversed over to Nuptse's North Face, passing under a group of precariously hanging seracs in the process.

Once they crossed over to the mountain itself, they started their ascent, climbing into position for their final push. The pair ended up bivouacking in a very small tent at 7250 meters (23,786 ft) before they started for the summit the next day at 6:15AM. It took them seven hours to reach the top, and they were exhausted and dehydrated when they got there, but in the end they were successful in their summit bid. Gerlinde says that on that final approach she simply kept hoping that it wasn't a false summit and they had finally reached the top at last.

But as all mountaineers know, the summit is only halfway, and they still had to get back down. That was no easy feat either, and they ended up spending yet another night at 7250 meters, this time without food, water or even gas for their stove. To top it all off, it was snowing heavily as well, which didn't aid in making them feel comfortable. Fortunately, they made it through the night without incident and the following day they descended all the way back to Base Camp, where they rested up over the weekend and got plenty to eat and drink.

Sounds like an awesome climb by two excellent mountaineers. Congratulations to Gerlinde and David for this fantastic effort.